Late in the evening on November 2 across the country political tensions rose as it became increasingly apparent that George Bush had won the election. Kerry gave up shortly after 10AM Central Time on Wednesday, November 3 and then called Bush to congratulate him.

For the most part Republicans were ecstatic about the results including Arnold Schwarzenegger who yelled "four more years" repeatedly at the Republican National Convention. After a night of much anxiety and little sleep in the political world many people who wanted Bush to lose couldn't take it anymore after his victory became official.

In Chicago an anti-war protest at Federal Plaza on November 3 at 5PM was planned weeks in advance regardless of who won the presidential election. The fact that this protest took place when it was dark out made for a more ominous atmosphere than daytime protests especially when considering it was unauthorized after Federal Plaza. At this event were members of Andersonville Neighbors for Peace, Chicago Indymedia, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism, Chicagoland Anarchist Network and the Revolutionary Communist Party. Also present were members of other local and national left-wing groups and progressives not affiliated with any political organization.

First, some people spoke on a microphone including well-known political activist Kathy Kelly. As the speakers gave their talk, people in the crowd began discussing an unauthorized march that would go from Federal Plaza towards Michigan Avenue.

Around 5:30 when the last speaker was finished, the march towards Michigan Avenue began as people walked out onto Dearborn Street. Riot police were right alongside the march the whole time.

As the marchers moved east on Monroe they were stopped a few times by the police and then allowed to go forward again. When Michigan Avenue was reached someone kicked over a newsstand but altogether this march was quite
peaceful. As the leading edge of the march turned northwards onto Michigan Avenue, the police said to get on the sidewalk or go to jail. After that the protesters went on the sidewalk and into Millenium Park towards the
"overgrown metal kidney bean" to join the college teachers strike that also took place in Chicago through the election. After the speakers were done the march resumed northwards for some tense moments on the eastern sidewalk of Michigan Avenue.

When the front of the march got close to Wacker Drive, the forward motion of the protesters was prevented by police and more than a dozen cop cars with their lights flashing and sirens on came up Michigan Avenue and in from the side streets surrounding the demonstrators except for
the building on the corner. At this point the protesters became worried about everyone getting arrested. A little later the crowd began moving south and then onto Randolph Street as bystanders looked with curious eyes at the
march. Demonstrators shouted "not our president, not our war" as they got closer to the Daley Center.

Around ten cop cars stopped on Dearborn outside the Daley Center as protesters came around the building and gathered to the west of it, at the same time police with plastic handcuffs stood near them outside the Daley Center, this too was an unauthorized gathering. Someone holding a microphone spoke to the crowd telling them to stay where they were and not to be worried about spending a night in jail for civil disobedience while people are dying over in Iraq. When this person spoke the estimated
number of people in the crowd was about 40.

Later on, the cop cars on Dearborn began leaving and some of the protesters did the same. The
demonstration didn't last much longer after that. The protest actions in Chicago on November 3 turned out to be largely peaceful.



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